Wag-n-wash

What Wag-n-wash does

Wag N' Wash is a US-based neighborhood pet care franchise operating under WNW Franchising, LLC, a subsidiary of Pet Supplies Plus. Founded in 2016 (with some sources indicating an earlier origin) and acquired by Pet Supplies Plus in 2022, the company operates 26 franchised locations nationwide as of early 2026, combining self-serve dog wash stations, professional grooming services, and a curated retail assortment of natural pet food, baked treats, supplements, toys, apparel, and health/wellness products. Its end customers are primarily dog-owning households (65%+ of US households own a pet), while its franchise-investor customers are entrepreneurs with $500K+ net worth and $250K+ liquid assets. The company is led by CEO Chris Rowland (also CEO of Pet Supplies Plus) and Chief Development Officer Nick Russo.

The franchise economics are anchored by a $49,900 single-unit initial fee (with a 20% veteran discount and limited-time $35K promo) and a 3% royalty in year one stepping to 4% thereafter — among the lowest in the industry. Average Unit Volume is reported at $1.2M-$1.4M depending on vintage (2026 FDD shows $1.2M for 11 reporting stores), and total investment per location ranges $520,520-$1,357,600. The December 2024 securitization transaction made Pet Supplies Plus/Wag N' Wash an independent entity with capital earmarked for accelerated franchise development, and corporate support includes marketing campaigns, real estate/site selection, inventory and supply chain infrastructure from the parent.

On the technology side, Wag N' Wash launched its first mobile app in June 2026 (developed with Horizontal Digital and Pet Central), enabling grooming appointment booking, real-time loyalty rewards, biometric login, push notifications, order and service history, and neighborhood-store updates. Distribution channels include franchise storefronts in strip-center real estate, the mobile app (iOS/Android), and a DoorDash partnership for same-day delivery. Community-facing programs include a national pet adoption initiative (28,546 pets adopted in 2025; 30,000 target in 2026) and a first-of-its-kind in-store recycling program with TerraCycle (138,000+ lbs of pet packaging recycled since 2023). Recognition includes Entrepreneur Franchise 500 (#458 in 2026) and listings on Franchise Times Top 200+ and Denver Business Journal's Colorado-Based Franchisors.

Name

Wag-n-wash

Legal name

WNW Franchising, LLC

Website

https://wagnwashfranchising.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Wag N' Wash is a neighborhood pet care franchise offering self-serve dog wash, professional grooming, and natural pet retail products, backed by Pet Supplies Plus with 26 locations across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Grooming and Retail Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSANACAL

Retail-Integrated Self-Wash (Pet Store Add-On)

Home & Personal Services/Pet Grooming & Boarding Services/Self-Service Pet Wash

SECONDARYCRALAHAC

Pet Health & Wellness Retail (Supplements, OTC, Flea/Tick)

Consumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Pet Supplies Retail

SECONDARYCRAFAEAJ

Pet Supplies Omnichannel

Consumer Products & Retail/E-commerce & Marketplaces/Omnichannel Retail E-commerce

SECONDARYHSANACAB

Staff-Assisted Self-Wash (Attended Wash Stations)

Home & Personal Services/Pet Grooming & Boarding Services/Self-Service Pet Wash

Keywords

• Pet grooming services
• Dog self-wash
• Franchise opportunities
• Pet retail supplies
• Natural pet food

Headquarters

HQ city

Livonia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Franchise Fees: One-time franchise fee charged to new franchise owners for the right to use the Wag N' Wash brand and business model. Standard fee is $49,900 for single unit, with discounts available for veterans (20% off) and limited-time promotions ($35,000).
2. Royalty Fees: Ongoing royalty fees from franchise owners. Structured as 3% of monthly sales for first 12 months and 4% of monthly sales thereafter, described as one of the industry's lowest royalty fees.
3. Franchise Agreement Securitization: Became independent entity following inaugural securitization transaction in December, supporting accelerated franchise development
4. Store Operations Revenue: Each franchise location generates revenue through self-wash stations, professional grooming services, and retail product sales including natural pet food, treats, toys, and supplies

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wag N' Wash is a neighborhood pet care franchise that sells self-serve dog wash stations, full-service professional grooming, and curated natural pet food, treats, toys, apparel, and health/wellness products through independently owned franchise locations. The franchisor generates revenue through upfront franchise fees, ongoing royalties on franchisee sales, and operational support drawn from its parent company Pet Supplies Plus's supply chain and marketing infrastructure. End customers are pet parents purchasing grooming services and retail products, while franchise buyers are pet-loving entrepreneurs purchasing the right to operate a Wag N' Wash location.

Product overview

Wag N' Wash is a neighborhood pet care franchise offering a unified portfolio of products and services centered on dog grooming, self-wash, and natural pet retail. The core offering combines self-serve dog wash stations and professional grooming services with a curated selection of natural pet food, treats, toys, apparel, and health and wellness products. The brand is backed by Pet Supplies Plus (725+ locations) and operates as a franchise model with locations across the U.S. The portfolio is augmented by a mobile app (launched June 2026) enabling appointment booking, loyalty rewards, and push notifications; a loyalty/rewards program; a pet adoption initiative; and a TerraCycle in-store recycling program. Key financial terms include a $35K-$49,900 franchise fee, 4% royalty fee (among the lowest in the industry), and AUV of $1.2M-$1.4M.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Self-Serve Dog Wash Stations In-store self-wash facilities allowing pet owners to bathe their dogs using professional-grade equipment, tubs, and grooming products in a dedicated neighborhood space.
• Professional Grooming Services Full-service dog grooming performed by professionally trained team members, including bathing, haircuts, nail trimming, and other grooming treatments for dog owners.
• Natural Pet Food and Treats Curated retail selection of natural pet food, baked dog treats, supplements, and health and wellness products available for purchase in-store and online through franchise locations.
• Pet Supplies and Accessories Wide range of pet products including toys, apparel, accessories, health and wellness essentials, and grooming take-home products for dogs and cats sold through Wag N' Wash stores.
• Wag N' Wash Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android that enables pet parents to book grooming appointments, access and redeem loyalty rewards, manage order and service history, and receive real-time store updates and promotions, featuring biometric login and push notifications.
• Loyalty and Rewards Program Customer loyalty program allowing pet parents to earn and redeem rewards points across in-store, online, and mobile app purchases, designed to drive repeat visits and customer retention for franchise locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.3M Average Unit Volume (AUV)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Horizontal DigitalcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Digital experience and technology partner that led the development, enhancement, and testing of the Wag N' Wash mobile app launched in June 2026.
• TerraCyclecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership with TerraCycle for in-store recycling program that helps pet parents recycle hard-to-recycle pet food, treat, and litter packaging. Since the program began in 2023, the brands have collected more than 138,000 pounds of pet packaging. First pet retailers to launch a recycling program of this kind in the industry.
• Best Friends Animal SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational animal welfare organization partner. During the 2025 holiday season, a portion of proceeds from select holiday plush toy sales benefited the organization, resulting in a total donation of $26,207.
• Canine Companions Rescue CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Canine Companions Rescue Center in Detroit, MI home market. Sponsoring rescue dogs as they search for their forever homes, with dogs visiting local Pet Supplies Plus stores.
• DoorDashminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery partnership offering same-day delivery and service options for pet products and supplies.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Pet Valu: Pet Valu is a large specialty pet retail chain operating across the US and Canada, offering pet food, supplies, grooming, and self-wash services. It serves an overlapping customer base with Wag N' Wash but at much greater scale and with a broader geographic footprint.
• PetSmart: PetSmart is the largest North American specialty pet retailer with grooming salons, pet hotels, training, and in-store adoption partnerships. While much larger and broader, it directly competes with Wag N' Wash on grooming, self-wash, and pet retail, particularly in suburban trade areas.
• Pet Supplies Plus: Pet Supplies Plus is the parent company of Wag N' Wash and a 725+ location pet retail franchise—the #1 pet retail franchise for 12 consecutive years. While a separate brand, it shares customers, supply chain, and corporate leadership with Wag N' Wash and is the closest comparable pet franchise business.

Regional players

• PetPeople: PetPeople is a regional pet specialty retailer with locations primarily in the Midwest, offering natural pet food, grooming, and self-wash services. Its format and assortment closely mirror Wag N' Wash's neighborhood pet care concept, making it a relevant competitor in overlapping geographies.
• Healthy Spot: Healthy Spot is a premium pet retail and grooming chain operating primarily in California, offering natural pet food, grooming, and self-wash stations. It mirrors Wag N' Wash's services-plus-retail positioning but is concentrated in the West Coast market.

Direct peers

• Camp Bow Wow: Camp Bow Wow is a multi-unit dog daycare, boarding, and grooming franchise with a strong national footprint. While more focused on daycare/boarding, its grooming services and franchise development model position it as a comparable peer in the pet services franchise category.
• Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique: Splash and Dash is the most direct competitor to Wag N' Wash, offering a similar combination of self-service dog wash stations, professional grooming, and natural pet retail products in a franchise model. Both target pet-loving entrepreneurs with protected territories and compete in the same services-plus-retail pet category.
• Hounds Town USA: Hounds Town USA is a dog daycare, boarding, and grooming franchise with a similar community-engagement positioning to Wag N' Wash. Both target pet-loving entrepreneurs and emphasize interactive pet care experiences in a franchise model.
• Dogtopia: Dogtopia is a leading dog daycare, boarding, and spa franchise with hundreds of locations. It overlaps with Wag N' Wash on grooming services but competes more heavily on daycare; both are services-driven pet franchises targeting similar investor profiles and customer demographics.

Emerging players

• Pet Evolution: Pet Evolution is a newer pet franchise offering self-serve dog wash, grooming, and retail in a similar format to Wag N' Wash. It competes for the same franchisee demographic and end customers but has a smaller footprint, making it an emerging peer in the same niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wagnwash
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wagnwash

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wag-n-wash